Stacking mechanism



March 13, 1962 R. J. GAUBERT STACKING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 25, 1959 0 M X X M 0m. 0

qm 0 i INVINTOR RENEJ.GAUBERT ATTORNEY M rch 13, 1962 R. J. GAUBERT3,024,921

STACKING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1959 6 Sheets-$heet 2 INVENTOR RENE J.GAUBERT ATTORNEY March 13, 1962 R. J. GAUBERT 3,024,921

STACKING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR RENEJ.GAUBERT ATTORNEY March 13, 1962 R. J. GAUBERT STACKING MECHANISM FiledFeb. 25, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR RENE a. GAU e531 om mm N AW H M-H- HF;

ATTORNEY March '13, 1962 R. J. GAUBERT STACKING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet5 Filed Feb. 25, 1959 INVENTOR RENE J.GAUBERT ATTORNEY March 13, 1962 R.J. GAUBERT 3,024,921

STACKING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 25, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 O@ a O A m w 8 900 N N N A 28 O @6 I N x 83% INNN INVENTOR w //l/ RENE J. GAUBERTATTORNEY aazaazt Patented Mar. 13, 1962 $324,921 STA'CKLNG tvtECHANIISMRene J. Ganbert, 42% @alnnare Road, Ualdand, Calif. Filed Feb. 25, 1959,Ser. No. 795,475 7 Claims, (til. 214-6) This invention pertains toapparatus for handling sheet material, and more particularly to amachine for receiving a succession of bags or sheets and arranging themin an orderly group or stack.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and efiicientmachine for stacking bags or sheets made of sleazy or flimsy materialsuch as cellophane, Pliofilm, paper, light cardboard, or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmechanism adapted to receive bags or sheets presented to it successivelyand to arrange them in stacked relation.

Another object is to provide a mechanism for stacking sheet materialarticles presented successively thereto and for arranging them in groupseach of which contains a predetermined number of the articles.

Another object is to provide a stacking machine adapted to handle sheetmaterial articles in a wide variety of sizes without requiringadjustment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the stacking mechanism of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken on lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are longitudinal vertical sections taken on lines 33 and4-4, respectively, of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on lines 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective of the drive mechanism for thestacking apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a cam mechanism forcontrolling the initiation of the stacking cycle.

The stacking mechanism 10 of the present invention comprises a pair ofside frame members 11 and 12 (best shown in FIG. 5), and a generallyrectangular housing 14 fixed at one of its ends to a pair of brackets 16and 18 mounted on the side frame members 11 and 12, respectively, and atits other end to a pair of brackets 29 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and 22 (FIGS. 3and 4) mounted on the side members 11 and 12, respectively. A pluralityof spaced, parallel conveyor belts 24 (FIGS. 3 and 4) are disposed belowthe end of the housing 14 at the receiving end of the stacking mechanism10 and are trained around a suitable drum 26 mounted on a shaft 28rotatably supported by suitable bearings mounted on the brackets and 22,and around a second drum 52 rotatably supported between the brackets 20and 22. A second group of conveyor belts 30 (FIGS. 1-5) extend beneaththe housing 14 and are trained around suitable drums 32, 34, 36 mountedon shafts 38, 40, 42, respectively, which in turn are supported insuitable bearings mounted in the brackets 16 and 18. Belts 30 are alsotrained around drums 44 and 46 fixed to shafts 48 and 49, respectively,rotatably mounted in suitable bearings fixed to the brackets 21 and 23,and around a drum 51 rotatably supported by the brackets 20 and 22.

As hereinabove mentioned the two sets of belts 24 and 30 are trainedaround the two vertically spaced parallel drums 51 and 52, respectively(FIGS. 3 and 4), which are located at the material receiving end of thestacking mechanism 10 adjacent a transverse shearing mechanism (notshown) so that the sheets or bags to be stacked 2 are received betweenthe upper reaches of the belts 24 and the lower reaches of the belts 30.The sheets to be stacked thus travel between the sets of belts 24 and 30until the drum 26 is reached. The sheets or bags are advanced beyondthis point by the upper set of belts 30, since in accordance with thepresent invention the sheets or bags are held against the under surfaceof the belts 30 by atmospheric pressure. For this purpose, a partialvacuum is maintained within the housing 14 in a manner describedhereinbelow.

The housing 14 is in the form of a rectangular box (FIGS. 1-5) having aplurality of longitudinally extending grooves 31 (FIG. 5) formed in theunder surface of its bottom wall within which the lower runs of thebelts 30 are individually guided. The thickness of each belt is somewhatgreater than the depth of its associated groove, so that the planeoccupied by the under surfaces of all the lower runs of the belts 30 isbelow the bottom wall 15 of the housing 14. This assures that the sheetsor bags will be pressed more firmly against the belts 30 than againstthe housing bottom 15, and thus will be advanced along the stationaryunder surface of the housing 14 by the moving belts.

A slot 50 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 5) is formed in the housing bottom 15 betweeneach two adjacent belt guiding grooves 31. These slots 50 are parallelto the grooves 31 and extend completely through the bottom wall 15. Additional slots 53 through the bottom wall 15 are provided in rows (onesuch row being shown in FIG. 2) adjacent the ends of the housing 14. Aconduit 54 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is connected between the housing 14 and asuitable source of vacuum (not shown) so that the pressure withinhousing 14 is maintained at less than atmospheric pressure, and the airtending to enter through the slots 50 and 53 holds the sheets or bagsagainst the under surface of the conveyor belts 30.

A cam shaft 56 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) extends transversely within thehousing 14 and is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings. Two sliderails 60 and 62 (FIG. 5) are fixedly mounted within the housing 14adjacent and parallel to the side walls thereof. As shown in FIGS. 2-5,sleeves 64 and 66 are slidably mounted on the rails 60 and 62,respectively. Connecting rods 68 and '70 (FIG. 2) are pivotallyconnected to the sleeves 64 and 66, respectively, by suitable pins 72and 74. The opposite ends of the connecting rods 68 and 70 embracesuitable eccentric disc cams 8t} and 82 fixed to the cam shaft 56.

The mechanisms carried by the two sleeves 64 and 66 are identical instructure and only that carried by the sleeve 64 will be described indetail. As shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5, two U-shaped brackets and 92 areformed integral with the sleeve 64 and extend upwardly therefrom inspaced apart relation longitudinally thereof. A rack 94 extendslongitudinally of the sleeve 64 and is slidably mounted between the legsof each of the brackets 9t and 92. A shaft 96 extends transverselybetween the upstanding legs of the bracket 90 and a spur gear 98 isfixed to the shaft and meshes with the rack 94. A similar shaft 100extends between the upper ends of the upstanding legs of the bracket 92and a spur gear 162 is fixed to the shaft 100 and meshes with the teethof the rack 94. The two gears 98 and 102 are of the same size. A cranklever 104 (FIG. 4) is fixed to the outer end of the shaft 96. The outerend of the crank 1114 is connected by a link 1116 to one end of a bellcrank 108. The bell crank 1138 is rotatably mounted on a suitable stubshaft 116? fixed with respect to the housing 14. The opposite end of thebell crank 103 carries a cam roller 111 which rides within a cam groove112 on a face earn 114 fixed to the cam shaft 56.

From the mechanism just described it may be seen that when the cam shaft56 rotates, the sleeves 64 and 66 will be reciprocated by the action ofthe eccentric disc cams 80 and 82. Simultaneously therewith the shafts96 and 104) will be rotationally and coextensively oscillated by theaction of the cam 114 on the bell crank 198 since the shafts 96 and 100are interconnected for conjoint movement through the action of thesliding rack 94 which meshes with the similar spur gears 98 and 1&2fixed to the shafts 96 and 100, respectively.

A crank arm 12f) (FiG. 2) is fixed to the inner end of the shaft 96 anda similar crank arm 122 is fixed to the inner end of the shaft lilfi.The outer ends of the crank arms 129 and 122 are pivotally connected tobrackets 124 and 126, respectively. The brackets 124 and 126 are bothconnected to a longitudinally extending member 131 (FIGS. 2 and A pairof corresponding brackets 132 and 136 (FIG. 2) at the opposite side themachine are connected to a similar longitudinally extending member 133(FIGS. 2 and 5). Two transversely extending members 130 and 134 (FIG. 2)are connected between the members 131 and 133 adjacent the ends thereof.A plurality of bag or sheet discharge plates or blades 138 (FIGS. 2-5)are fixed to the under sides of the members 130 and 134 in parallelspaced relation with each other. Each of the blades 138 is in registerwith one of the slots 50 in the bottom wall 15 of the housing 14.

When the cam 114 causes oscillation of the shafts 96 and 100 in themanner described hereinabove, the blade frame comprising members 134131, l33 and 134 is moved downwardly to project the blades 133 throughthe slots 50 to engage the sheet or bag and move the same away from theundersurface of the conveyor belts 38 a distance sufficient to break thesuction eifect which until thistime was holding them against theundersurface of the belts 30. It will be appreciated that the physicalpresence of the blades 138 within the slots 5% decreases the air flowtherethrough thus diminishin the suction effect to aid in the release ofthe sheet or bag therefrom. At the same time the blades 138 are movedforwardly with the sheet or bag by the sleeves 64 and 66 due to theirbeing reciprocated by the action of the earns 80 and 82. The sheet willnow drop onto a conveyor belt 150 (FIGS. 2-5) which extends transverselybeneath the housing 14 and is trained around suitable drums 152 (FIGS.3, 4, and 6) and 154 (FIGS. 5 and 6).

The drive mechanism for the various units described above is bestunderstood with reference to FIG. 6 and comprises a drive motor 280 theoutput shaft 232 of which is provided with two peripherally tootheddrive pulleys 204 and 206. The drive pulley 266 is connected by a timingbelt 208 to a peripherally toothed pulley 21%) mounted on a main driveshaft 212, which extends longitudinally of the stacking machine itadjacent one side thereof. A helical gear 214 is fixed to the shaft 212and drives a helical gear 216 fixed to a transversely extending shaft218 which through a suitable electrically operated clutch 220 drives ashaft 222 in coaxial alignment with the shaft 218. A helical gear 224fixed to the shaft 222 meshes with and drives a helical gear 226 fixedto a shaft 228 which extends longitudinally of the machine 1 and isspaced laterally outward beyond the opposite side thereof. The drum 152of the conveyor belt 15% is alfixed to the shaft 228. Thus, the conveyorbelt 150 is operated only when the electrically operated clutch 220 isengaged.

A gear 230 meshes with the gear 216 and drives the transverse shaft 38on which the driving drum 32 for the conveyor belts 30 is mounted. Ahelical gear 232 fixed to the main drive shaft 212 drives a helical gear234 fixed to the transverse shaft 28 on which the driving drum 26 forthe conveyor belts 24 is mounted.

A gear 236 meshes with the gear 234 and is fixed to one end of atransversely extending shaft 238 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and a gear 240 is fixedto the opposite end of the shaft 4 238. A gear 242 is rotatably mountedon the shaft 238 and is adapted to be temporarily connected to the gear240 by a one revolution clutch 243. The gear 242 meshes with an idlergear 244 (FIG. 7) which is part of the gear train for the shearingmechanism (not shown), so that the shearing mechanism will be operatedand a single sheet or bag will be delivered to the belts 24 and 30 eachtime the single revolution clutch 243 is engaged.

The gear 240 meshes with a gear 250 (FIGS. 6 and 7) rotatably mounted ona stub shaft 252 suitably supported by the frame of the machine 15 Asecond gear 254 is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 252 and isadapted to be connected to and rotated by the gear 250 by means of a onerevolution clutch 256. The gear 254 meshes with a gear 258 fixed to thepreviously mentioned cam shaft 56 whereby the push-off blades 138 areactuated.

The second drive pulley 204 on the motor shaft 202 drives a timing belt270 which in turn drives a toothed pulley 272 on the input shaft of achange speed mechanism 274. The output shaft 275 of the change speedmechanism 274 carries a toothed pulley 276 that drives a timing belt 278which meshes with a toothed pulley 28%) on a cam shaft 282 rotatablymounted on the frame of the machine 10. A gear 284 fixed to the camshaft 282 meshes with and drives a gear 286 fixed to a second cam shaft288 rotatably mounted on the frame of the machine it).

A cam 290 (FIGS. 6 and 7) is adjustably connected to the cam shaft 282for rotation therewith and is adapted to actuate a cam roller 292rotatably mounted on the central portion of a lever 294 pivotallymounted at one of its ends on a pin 296 fixed to the frame of themachine 10. The opposite end of the lever 294 is pivotally connected toone end of a link 298 the other end of which is connected to a clutchactuating pawl 30%. The pawl 34K) is pivotally mounted on a pin 302fixed to the frame of the machine 10. The pawl 390 is provided with alatch finger 304 adapted to engage a suitable clutch actuating abutment306 on the above mentioned one revolution clutch 256. Consequently, eachtime the cam 29% makes one revolution it actuates the one revolutionclutch 256 to cause a single revolution of the cam shaft 56 to actuatethe push-off plates 138.

A cam 310 (FIG. 7) which is adjustably secured to the cam shaft 288actuates the one revolution clutch 243 whereby the shaft 238 is adaptedto be connected to the gear 240 of the shearing mechanism. Therefore,each time the cam 310 makes one revolution it actuates the singlerevolution clutch 243 to cause a single cycle of operation of theshearing mechanism, and since the gears 284 and 286 are the same size,the push-off blades 138 and the shearing mechanism will both be actuatedonce each time the cam shaft 282 makes a full revolution.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that the push-off blades138 of the stacking mechanism 16 are driven by the same drive as are theconveyor belts 24 and 30 and therefore are driven at the same relativespeed, but at intervals the length of which is controlled by the changespeed mechanism 274. Therefore, the frequency of operation of thepush-off blades 138 can be varied to accommodate sheets or bags ofdifferent lengths.

A suitable counting mechanism (not shown) may be provided to count thenumber of cycles of the stacking mechanism, and to automaticallymomentarily energize a solenoid 320 (FIG. 5) to move a clutch arm 322 soas to actuate the electrically operated clutch 220 after a predeterminednumber of cycles of operation of the push-off blades 138. This causesmovement of the belt a short distance so that the bags being stackedwill be separated into separate piles each containing a number of unitsdetermined by the setting of the counting mechanism.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that the apparatus is capable ofmodification and variation without departing from the principles of theinvention and that the scope of the invention should be limited only bythe scope and proper interpretation of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A sheet stacking mechanism comprising a plurality of parallelconveyor belts, a vacuum chamber mounted with its bottom wall above saidconveyor belts, said bottom wall having longitudinally extending slotstherein between said conveyor belts through which air tending to entersaid vacuum chamber holds the sheets to be stacked against the underside of said conveyor belts for movement therewith, means mounted withinsaid vacuum chamber in alignment with said longitudinally extendingslots and adapted to be projected downwardly into and through said slotsfor decreasing the air flow through said slots and moving said sheetsindividually downwardly away from the suction zone of said slots toremove said sheets from said conveyor belts, and means for actuatingsaid means for moving said sheets downwardly.

2. A stacking mechanism for sheet material articles comprising aplurality of parallel conveyor belts, a vacuum chamber mounted abovesaid conveyor belts, a horizontal conveyor belt extending transverselybeneath said parallel conveyor belts in the region beneath said vacuumchamber, the bottom of said vacuum chamber having longitudinal slotstherein between said parallel conveyor belts through which air tends toenter said vacuum chamber and thereby holds the sheet material articlesto be stacked against the under side of said parallel conveyor belts formovement therewith, means mounted within said vacuum chamber inalignment with said slots and adapted to be projected downwardly intoand through said slots for decreasing the air flow through said slotsand moving said sheets individually downwardly away from the suctionzone of said slots so that said sheets will drop into an orderly stackoverlying each other on said transversely extending conveyor belt, andmeans for periodically actuating said means for moving said sheetsdownwardly.

3. A stacking mechanism for sheet material articles comprising aconveying mechanism, a vacuum chamber mounted above said conveyingmechanism and having slots in the bottom thereof through which air tendsto enter said vacuum chamber and thereby holds the articles to bestacked against the under side of said conveying mechanism, a bladeframe mounted in said vacuum chamber for vertical movement with respectthereto, a plurality of vertically disposed parallel blades mounted onsaid blade frame in alignment with the slots, cam means for moving saidframe vertically to project said blades downwardly into and through saidslots to decrease the air flow through said slots and move said articlesdown- Wardly away from the suction zone of said slots so that saidarticles will drop from said conveying mechanism, and means foractuating said cam means.

4. A stacking mechanism for sheet material articles comprising aconveying mechanism, a vacuum chamber mounted above said conveyingmechanism and having longitudinally extending slots in the bottomthereof through which air tends to enter said vacuum chamber and therebyholds articles to be stacked against the un der side of said conveyingmechanism, a blade frame mounted in said vacuum chamber for bothreciprocatory movement longitudinally thereof and vertical movement withrespect thereto, a plurality of vertically disposed parallel bladesmounted on said blade frame in alignment with the slots in said chamberbottom, cam means for reciprocating said frame longitudinally, cam meansfor moving said frame vertically to project said blades downwardly intoand through said slots to decrease the air flow through said slots andmove said articles downwardly away from said slots so that said articleswill drop away from said conveying mechanism, and means forsimultaneously actuating both of said cam means.

5. A stacking mechanism for sheet material articles comprising apturality of parallel conveyor belts, a vacuum chamber mounted abovesaid conveyor belts and having longitudinally extending slots in thebottom thereof between said conveyor belts through which air tends toenter said vacuum chamber and thereby holds articles to be stackedagainst the under side of said conveyor belts, a blade frame mounted insaid vacuum chamber for vertical movement with respect thereto, aplurality of vertically disposed parallel blades mounted on said bladeframe in alignment with the slots in said chamber bottom, cam means formoving said frame vertically to project said blades downwardly into andthrough said slots to decrease the air flow through said slots and pushsaid articles downwardly away from the suction zone of said slots sothat said articles will drop from said conveyor belts, and means foractuating said cam means.

6. A stacking mechanism for sheet material articles comprising aconveying mechanism, a vacuum chamber mounted above said conveyingmechanism, a horizontal conveyor belt extending transversely beneathsaid conveying means and beneath said vacuum chamber, said vacuumchamber having longitudinally extending slots in the bottom thereofthrough which air tends to enter said vacuum chamber and thereby holdsthe articles to be stacked against the under side of said conveyingmechanism, a blade frame mounted in said vacuum chamber for bothreciprocatory movement longitudinally thereof and vertical movement withrespect thereto, a plurality of vertically disposed parallel bladesmounted on said blade frame in alignment with the slots, cam means forreciprocating said frame longitudinally, cam means for moving said framevertically to project said blades downwardly into and through said slotsto decrease the air flow through said slots and remove said sheets from.said conveying mechanism, and means for actuating said cam means.

7. A stacking mechanism for sheet material articles comprising aplurality of parallel conveyor belts, a vacuum chamber mounted abovesaid conveyor belts, a horizontal conveyor belt extending transverselybeneath said parallel conveyor belts in the region beneath said vacuumchamber, the bottom of said chamber having longitudinally extendingslots therein between said parallel belts through which air tends toenter said vacuum chamber and thereby holds articles against the underside of said parallel conveyor belts, a blade frame mounted in saidvacuum chamber for both reciprocatory movement longitudinally thereofand vertical movement with respect thereto, a plurality of verticallydisposed parallel blades mounted on said blade frame in alignment withthe slots in said chamber bottom, cam means for reciprocating said framelongitudinally, cam means for moving said frame vertically to projectsaid blades downwardly into and through said slots to decrease the airflow through said slots and push said articles away from the slots sothat said articles Will drop into an orderly stack overlying each otheron said transversely extending belt, and means for periodicallyactuating said cam means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,747,954 Rydberg Feb. 18, 1930 2,195,427 Rundell Apr. 2, l940 2,198,976Rober Apr. 30, 1940 2,789,704 Lewin Apr. 23, 1957

